FutuRaPS - Future Raspberry Production System for Western Norway

Feb 19

Written By Gasta Design

Project name: FutuRaPS

Time period: 2023 - 2026

Partners: Høgskulen på Vestlandet (HVL), Njøs frukt- og bærsenter, Stiftinga Vestlandsforsking

Governmental funding: Forskningsrådet, project number 336603 and Grofondet, project number 200038

Private funding: Sparebankstiftinga Sogn og Fjordane

The core concept

This project is dedicated to researching, developing, and scientifically evaluating a future robotic system for raspberry production, using Western Norway (WN) as the pilot region.

Raspberries represent Norway's second-largest berry crop, trailing only strawberries. In 2020, total raspberry production reached 1,905 tonnes, with an estimated market value of 126.5 million NOK. Over half of Norwegian raspberry cultivation occurs in Vestland county, with a significant concentration in Sogn og Fjordane.

nLink’s role

nLink is pleased to be a partner in this project, offering our expertise in advanced robotics to play a supporting role.

We will contribute a robust mobile robotics platform equipped with a collaborative robot arm, designed for field operations and data collection. This platform, an evolution of our previous drilling robot, features several enhancements. It now includes control inputs from the onboard computer for autonomous navigation.

The robot arm has been adapted to operate on battery power from the platform's batteries. Additionally, the platform has been outfitted with extra power outputs to support onboard equipment such as pumps for crop spraying, sensors for navigation, and data collection tools.

The advanced onboard computer is capable of executing sophisticated tasks, including AI image processing, point cloud analysis, navigation, and task scheduling. This versatile platform, usable beyond the harvest season, supports selective harvesting, spraying, and crop monitoring.

Challenges we solve

Autonomous mobility platform
Robotic manipulator
AI image processing, point cloud analysis
Advanced robotics know-how

Planned results

In collaboration with local universities, research institutes, and growers, we are committed to pioneering the development of robotic raspberry production in Western Norway. This research project is a seamless match for nLink's ambition to create mobile robots that address real-world challenges, specifically by automating repetitive tasks in demanding environments.

Leveraging nLink's advanced robotics expertise, including our state-of-the-art mobile robotics platform equipped with a collaborative robot arm, we aim to enhance field operations, data collection, and beyond. This initiative not only promises to revolutionize raspberry production through selective harvesting, spraying, and crop monitoring but also sets a new standard for agricultural innovation, aligning with our goal to deliver practical, robotics-driven solutions that solve real-world problems.